


The Inner Beast

by talinatera



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: AU, Angst, Minor Character Death, Obscural!Newt, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Past Child Abuse, Prompt Fic, Work In Progress
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-30
Updated: 2017-12-07
Packaged: 2018-09-03 06:16:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 24,767
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8700697
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/talinatera/pseuds/talinatera
Summary: “Merlins beard... It's beautiful.” Whispered the woman... This was the first time since they had brought him in that they had actually been able to push him to change. He had been so against turning, now they knew why. His muggle father had been the reason he'd become an Obscural... The windows to the room shook and she flicked her wand out to reinforce them... In a sense it was beautiful the way it lashed out and writhed in the air. That had been a boy who could barely look someone in the eye mere seconds ago and now it was a swirling mass of death. “Amazing.” She breathed. “Simply amazing.”





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [This is an AU idea that I like but will probably never write](https://archiveofourown.org/works/8610454) by [itsveryhardtoexplain](https://archiveofourown.org/users/itsveryhardtoexplain/pseuds/itsveryhardtoexplain). 



> Hey there this is an idea given out by itsveryhardtoexplain and so a big thank you to them for posting this wonderful plot bunny and giving the okay for anyone to run with it. When I read the idea I was like, I must write this. It has such potential to be an amazing story, and I hope that I'm able to do it justice. 
> 
> At the moment there's no ship in mind, but I'm sure as the story carries on and I get a feel for the relationships between Newt and his friends one will emerge. 
> 
> As a heads up these first two chapters will be, more or less, setting everything up and we'll really dig into the actual plot in chapter three. But we gotta have the foundation set up for the AU for the AU to make sense, so thanks for bearing with me. 
> 
> I own nothing except the expansion on the idea, and original characters. Nor do I claim to own them.

“We've talked about this Newton. We know you are a special child but we simply can't have this nonsense around the house. I just can't take the dishes exploding, the doors being nearly ripping off the hinges, the windows disappearing and reappearing.” The older man pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a frustrated sigh. “Your brother doesn't give us this kind of trouble.”

“Dear you're frightening him.” A woman stepped up to the small child and crouched down to look him in the eyes. “What your father is trying to say Newt, is that we need to find a way to control your gift. Don't you want your friends to come over and stay over?” The young boy nodded his head. His mother smiled and cupped his face between her hands. “That's a good boy. We want that too, but in order for that to happen you must hide this gift... this power.”

“Mum... is... is something wrong with me?”

“Of course not darling... you're just special.”

Tears threatened to fall down the face of the young child. He had just reached four feet and his messy brown curly hair fell into his eyes. He knew something was different about him, knew that strange things happened when he got overly emotional, but those things frightened his mother... those thing angered his father. He needed to find a way... to find a way to keep it hidden, under control. It was even different from his brother. His brother, Theseus, was able to control what was going on around him, was able to not frighten those around him. Where he... he seemed to sneeze and a hole appeared in the wall across from him.

“Special isn't what I would call it.” His father hissed. “It was bad enough when we had one of these... these-”

“Wizards. He's a wizard.” His mother replied coolly. They were now talking as if he wasn't there, as if he didn't understand what they were talking about; saying about him. He wanted to run upstairs and hide under his blanket but he also didn't want to remind them he was still there... didn't want to be a bother. He hunched his shoulders and wrung his hands as he tried to figure out what to do.

“Fine Wizard. At least our first son has a handle on his gift. We don't have to worry about a knife flying across the room and stabbing us because he's tripped on the rug. We need to face facts, we're in over our heads. You know even in the wizarding community this is too much! Have you ever, as a witch yourself, seen a child like this before?” He didn't give his wife time to answer. “Maybe a firmer hand is needed with this one, maybe we should introduce a switch or something-”

“I know you did not just suggest that? This is not something that needs to be beaten out of him!”

“Look I know it frightens you too! Maybe we just can't handle two-”

“We're not sending him away!” She quickly turned and swept Newt up into her arms and she held him close to her. “He is our son and he and I will work on keeping his gift under control. We will figure this out.”

The man scowled but knew that was the end of it for now. He snorted and shook his head. “Fine. But see that you do or we're going to one of my ways. We already get questions from the neighbors about the things that happen outside, and I'm running out of lies to tell.” His mother nodded and his father left the room in a dark mood.

As soon as his father left the room Newt started to sob. “Mum... mum I'm sorry.” Tears streamed down his face, leaving streaks in their wake. “I-I promise I'll figure out how to con-control it! Don't send me away, I'll get it un-under control-” A hiccup crept into his voice as he babbled away about how he would be a good boy, would work on not worrying them. About how they wouldn't even know he had the magic.

“Shhh, hush now my silly Newt.” She smiled and placed her forehead against his and rubbed them together a moment. “You're not going anywhere. He's just upset that he can't help you. It hurts him to not be able to help you when you're so obviously in pain love.” She gave him a kiss on the head, then he nestled into her warmth, hiding his face in the crook of her neck. “There we go... there we go.” She soothed and rubbed a hand up and down his back in a calming motion. “Shhh my little Newt. We'll figure this out. You're not going anywhere.”

 

~

 

Newt startled awake and sat straight up. His breathing was labored and he felt energy coursing under his skin. He held a hand up to his head and tried to take a deep breath. It had been ages since he'd seen his mother... at first dreams helped him cope with his life but now... now they only made things harder. Harder to accept what had happened, harder to keep everything under control, harder to want to keep trying...

He ran the hand down his face and gave a quick shiver. He was ready to go to his room. Well really he wanted to go out and see his creatures but he doubted that today's performance in the tests would be enough to earn him outside time. He was currently in free time, which meant time to take a nap, time to be alone and reflect on what he did wrong in the last series of tests, because it was always his fault, never theirs. He heard foot steps start towards him and he quickly cast his gaze down to the ground, though he couldn't stop the flickering of his eyes up to catch a glimpse of the well known face.

“Alright Newton, looks like they decided you need some time outside.” His head snapped up, eyes wide with disbelief.

“I... I get to go... go see the creatures?”

The wizards face softened and nodded his head. “They think it will help you focus more tomorrow if you get some time with them today. So come on, up off the floor.” Newt hopped up, a shy smile on his face and he eagerly followed behind the wizard. A few minutes later he was outside and surrounded by the creatures he had befriended during his time there. He smiled as he scratched some behind the ear, rubbed the bellies of others and gave pats to the rest. “How is everyone?” He asked softly, then got to work on feeding and caring for the creatures. They had originally given him this task as punishment but soon learned it was anything but. Within a half hour the creatures were taken care of and he was soon napping curled up next to a demiguise.

 

~

 

Newt smiled as the creature nuzzled his hand looking for more food. It was a beautiful Puffskein that his brother had convinced his parents to get him for his birthday a year ago now. A year after he had started to learn to control his gift with help from both his parents the entire family had been shocked to learn that there was a school for people like him... like them. His brother had been accepted into a place called Hogwarts and had been going there for two years. They had learned about the wizarding world, which thousands of people just like them lived and worked with their magic everyday. It had been a culture shock to say the least. The entire family had up and moved to a neighborhood that was inhabited by wizards and witches, where they could live without fear and be around those like them. Or like his brother.

The had only moved a year ago and so for three years he had done everything in his power to make his parents feel safe around him. He had pushed his gift away, had tried to separate himself from the power. At first it had worked and everything was fine, the strange things had stopped happening and his friends were allowed to come over and play at his house. Then he'd started to sleepwalk... or at least that's what everyone insisted it was. He couldn't help but feel like it was something more than that. Maybe if he woke up in random places around the house all on its own he would believe them. But every time he woke up somewhere else it corresponded with a nightmare. The nightmares had started when he started to hide his powers. They were awful frightening things where this billowing black cloud engulfed him and tried to take over his every thought, every feeling, everything that made him Newt. He hadn't told his parents, didn't want them to worry, didn't want them to be frightened. He had brought it up once with his brother but had quickly leaned that wasn't the way to go either. His brother followed more in the thought process of their father than their mother.

A soft nuzzle brought the young child back to the here and now and he grinned down at his friend. “Come on, let's go say hi to the others.” He started to walk down the well known path now. Newt had decided that to keep everyone safe he needed to spend as little time with them as possible. They made his hands sweat and his brain race, and that in turn made the black shadows claw at his mind. The animals though... the creatures didn't make him feel that way. They were a calming presence, a light in his life. His parents stopped asking him if friends were coming over, and had stopped worrying when he would disappear into the forest for hours at a time. They knew he wasn't his brother, that he was a freak even in the world of magic.

They reached the end of the path and he cupped his hands over his mouth and gave out a yell, then waited a moment before giving another one. Soon after the second he was rewarded with the sound of trampling feet, bubbling voices, low groans, and the sound of buzzing wings. Soon enough the clearing was filled with the magical creatures that lived around their neighborhood that he had befriended and fed. He stuck his hand in his pockets and pulled them out filled with little nick knacks and tossed them into the air for the pixies to catch with gleeful laughs before their disappeared into the trees.

“Why hello there little guys.”He smiled and stepped up to a tree where a clan of Bowtruckles had made their presence known. “How are you all today?” A couple of them smiled at him and reached out for him to scoop up. He complied and soon enough three of the little ones were making themselves at him in pockets, and on his head. He turned around as he felt something nuzzle his knee. He turned and grinned as he saw Jack the crup wagging his forked tail at him. “Hello Jack.” He sat down and gave the dog like creature a scratch behind the ears. “Who's a good boy?” The Crup gave a bark and rolled over onto his back. Newt complied and gave the cute guy a belly rub. “That's right, you are. You're a good boy.”

A flash of feathers announced the arrival of Deary the Diriclaw. “There you are Deary.” The bird gave a chirp and approached for it's turn for a scratch on the head. “Oh don't worry, I haven't forgotten you little one.” He was never sure how long he actually spent out there with the creatures, he only knew when he heard his mother call for him to come home for dinner, and it always seemed much to soon.

“Alright guys, I've gotta go.” He disentangled himself from the creatures and helped them get back on their way, giving pats and scratches one more time before he started back home with his partner in crime. Soon enough the house was ahead and he could see his mother standing on the back porch with a smile on her face.

“Newt! Post came for you today.” He frowned and his pace quickened. Mail? For him? Who on earth could it be? He came up to his mothers side and caught his breath as she handed over the letter. He frowned as the envelope pulled at his memory, then as he flipped it over his eyes widened and a gas escaped his lips.

He opened it up and took out the parchment with shaking hands. How could they want him? He couldn't make anything happen any more... he could feel it there, in the back of his mind, but it was locked away... How could they want him? “Is... is this real?” He looked up at his mother tears pricking at his eyes.

She smiled and nodded her head. “Congratulations Newton, you're going to Hogwarts.” That night the nightmare was worse than it had ever been. He was frightened, scared beyond his years of life. Everyone was going to find out what a freak he was... they were all going to realize that he couldn't use his magic, could only feel it hovering in the back of his mind. He knew if he just let it go, just allowed it to seep into his veins once again, to run through his body like it had years ago he just somehow knew if he did that it would work itself out. But his mind didn't agree with his heart. His mind insisted that he had to keep holding on, had to keep it locked up. Keep it separated.

In the nightmare he traveled through the city they lived in, tearing down a few buildings, and ripping up the streets. He could hear the screams of people around him, but it sounded far away and unimportant. This was a nightmare he knew that, but it also was the only time he felt like everything could be free, that everything would be fine if he'd just let the shadows take over his everything. The next morning there were rumors and reports of an earthquake that had hit the city killing three in its wake. It had surprised everyone and the people feared that more might be on the way.

 

~

 

“Newton!”

The young wizard startled awake and looked around. “wha?” He rubbed his eyes and realized he'd been dreaming again.

“Come along Scamander. Don't make me call again.”

He quickly scrambled to his feet and stumbled towards the voice, still not really awake. “Sorry ma'am.” He said recognizing the voice as the second in command.

She frowned down at him then turned on her heel and the pair left the creature holding room. He looked back to the room as the door started to shut behind him and gave a small wave to his friends before they were blocked from his view. He was never sure when he'd get to see them next and so it was always hard to see the doors shut. His attention was brought back to the woman and what she was saying. “Now I didn't agree with the decision that allowed you to see the animals today." He hadn't really thought she would ever vote for him to see the creatures, that just wasn't the way she worked. It also didn't help that she was sure he was trying to find a way to escape with them. No one else believed her of course, and Newt would never let on how close she was to the truth. "But I did get them to see my view and we came to a compromise." Newt got an idea what that compromise was when they passed the dinning hall. "So because we can not ignore the poor performance in your testing today you will not partake in dinner tonight. So it's straight to your room for you.”

Newt nodded his head and followed quietly behind the witch to his room. As they neared his room he thought back to the creatures. There had been more when he had first arrived at the department, but as the years had passed by the group had become smaller and smaller. He didn't know why this department had the creatures, and he could only assume from the treatment he got it was much worse for them. Though he wasn't sure what the animals were doing there, he had an idea about why they were there. Newt believed they were trying to figure out ways to exterminate their kind... Why he couldn't understand for the life of him. They were all gentle beings once you got to know them, you just had to be calm and patient with them. Though every time he started to think about it the more he realized that he didn't really want to know what happened to them, though it hurt him every time a creature disappeared from the group between visits.

“Alright Scamander in you go.” He stepped past the woman and into his room, glad that she would soon be gone. There was a chill to the air in the space that had been lacking in the rest of the building and a shiver ran down his spine. He looked over at the blanket and eagerly waited for her to close the door. “Lights out at ten, breakfast at six. Hopefully tomorrow will prove a more beneficial day for everyone.” Then she closed the door and left Newt alone once again.

 


	2. Chapter 2

Over the summer they visited Diagon ally where they got him new robes, school supplies and his wand. Mr Ollivander had been stumped by Newt and had given the young boy what he called a temporary wand. “Can't say I remember another case like this. But don't you worry, you'll have your wand by mid semester at the latest. I know exactly what you need, just don't have one like that in stock.” As time passed he had started to accept more and more that he was going to attend Hogwarts, that he was going to learn to control his magic, and so every day, little by little, he let his hold on his magic go, allowed it to return to him. At first he was worried because the nightmares seemed to have gotten worse as he started to let his magic back, but he also knew he had to be able to reach it in order to actually attend school. It was something that needed to be done, and he would just have to work through the nightmares. The only thing that worried him was that even though he had started to accept his magic once again, could feel it beneath his skin, he couldn't make anything happen. Where he had once made plates float across the kitchen he couldn't even make a piece of paper twitch. He eventually decided that it was simply because he now needed to go to school... that it was normal for people to lose the ability to do magic after the first few years. He had to believe it.

Finally the day had come. The day he would leave home and attend this school until Christmas. On the train his brother had left him to sit with his own friends but Newt knew that was was for the best. Being on his own was the best way to be. That was until a girl by the name Leta Lestrange opened his cart door and smiled as she saw the empty seats. At the time he had no idea how big a role she would play in the coming months of his life.

“Are those seats free?” Even as she asked though she took up the one next to him. “Who might you be?”

Newt closed his mouth that had fallen open and tried to gather his thoughts together. “Oh.. um.. uh-” Leta quirked a brow and a smirk pulled at her lips. Newt swallowed and reigned in his thoughts. “Newt Scamander.”

“Pleasure I'm sure. Leta Lestrange.” She offered a hand in greeting.

He looked down at the hand and wanted to disappear into the cushions. He bit the inside of his lip but gave it a quick shake and a polite smile. “Nice to meet you.” He pulled his hand back as quick as he could then rubbed his thumb over the pages of the book he held in his lap not quite sure what to do next. She seemed to be waiting for something and he quite frankly didn't know what it could possibly be. After a few moments of silence a look of surprise entered her eyes and she cocked her head to one side. Newt's mind started to race, power started to tingle under his skin and he could feel his heart try to beat out of his chest. He needed to say something, anything and fast. “Umm... Is-is this your first year?”

The girl grinned and seemed to perk up. Had that been the right thing? “Yes this is. Rather excited to start. Though I will miss home terribly... but I am eleven years old now and so need to start to be an independent woman.” It sounded like she had rehearsed saying that in the mirror. Newt would know.

He gave a shy smile and resettled into the corner of his seat. “I suppose that's true.” She laughed and relaxed into her seat. “I like you Newt. I have a feeling we're going to be good friends.” And nothing could have been more true and yet so far from it.

A few months into the semester the two were near inseparable. Though they had been put into different houses that didn't slow them down. They seemed to only find one thing after another that brought them closer together. Neither really fit in at school, and both had a love of magical creatures. One thing that had caught his attention though was that apparently a nasty creature was on the lose at Hogwarts, something bad enough that the ministry had gotten involved and aurors patrolled the ground looked for something called an Obscural. Apparently they were worried one of the students had brought it in and so had been taking children to the side to talk with them.

He of course didn't allowed himself much time to think on it as he had other things that he had to worry about. Like keeping up with the other students in magic casting, or even just keeping up with Leta while they ran to charms class. “Come on Newt we're going to be late to our class.” Leta looked back over at Scamander who was carrying all of the books. “Oh Newt if you needed help you should have just said something.” She flicked her wand and her half of the books started to float behind her. “Honestly, I don't understand why you don't just use magic a bit more. It makes life so much easier.”

Newt just gave a muttered thanks and caught up to her. The temporary wand was good in it's own right but it wasn't his wand and it knew it. He was seriously lagging behind in his classes because he couldn't get a hold on his magic. He supposed that was to be expected after pushing it away for the last six years, but it didn't make it any less frustrating. Everyone around him was getting it but it just wasn't clicking with him. He didn't have time to think on it though as they arrived at their next Charms class and quickly settled down. It proved to be another class of frustrations for Newt as he and his magic refused to communicate with one another. By the end he was ready to throw in the towel and just go home. “Scamander I'd like to see you please.” Leta gave him a sympathetic smile but took her books, said goodbye and disappeared out the door.

“Yes professor?” He asked once the other children were gone.

“Newt I can't help but notice that your wand still hasn't come in... and that quite frankly you're failing this class.” Well maybe he wouldn't need to actually quit school, maybe he was about to be thrown out right here, right now. He nodded his head. “Well I've talked it over with the headmaster and we're going to try to teach you wandless magic. You can't do worse than what's happening right now and you may find it easier than working with a wand that isn't cooperating with you.”

“You- you're not expelling me?” He didn't mean to sound as amazed as he had, but it brought a concerned look to the professors face.

“Oh goodness no Newton. We don't throw people out for not understanding something.” He received a pat on the head, and a soft smile. “No, no we try to find a way to help you understand. Try to figure out what's not clicking.”

He sniffed and gave a smile, relief washing over him. Maybe this would work... Maybe he would become a normal wizard like everyone else. “Thank you professor.” He said and wiped the tears out from under his eyes.

“No problem at all Scamander. I'll see you every day after your last class. Alright?” He nodded his head and left charms with a lighter heart then he had ended class with.

With the personal training after school every day Newt soon was able to do the basic spells that his classmates had mastered at the beginning of the semester and had hope of getting through the fall spells by spring; though with the training, and the reconnecting to his magic came a new onslaught of nightmares. He noticed around the same time the Aurors got more fidgety, and for the umpteenth time he wondered when they would find the creature and leave the school. Over the winter holiday though his wand came in and when he started school back up he no longer had to work on wandless magic. One of the first things he noticed when he started working with the wand, was that it actually helped control the dark entity that raged under his skin. It helped him keep it from wanting to burst free and roam the castle. In fact he was able to keep everything together for the next couple of months nightmare free. It wasn't until Leta decided that she wanted to have a bit of fun that things went... wrong.

“Leta...” Newt said softly as they crunched through the snow in the forbidden forest. His breath came out in puffs of hot air, and he pulled his cloak closer to himself. It wasn't that he hadn't been out here before, he had made quite a few friends out here during his off times. It was he never went out here at night... with his unreliable magic he knew better than to tempt fate. Even now he knew this was a bad idea but he had agreed to come along anyways. Leta wanted to see the forest at night and he normally didn't have the heart to tell her no. Of course even if he had been able to tell her no, he couldn't have let her go out here on her own.

“Oh come on Newt. We're already here, it's too late to back out now.” She threw him a smile over her shoulder and his heart melted. “Besides this may be the only time we'll see the mooncalves.” Of course she was right, he was already out here and the only thing he could do now was do everything in his power to make sure they got back to Hogwarts. A hand shot out a grabbed him and shook him slightly as Leta smiled. “Look” she whispered. “There they are.”

All other thoughts left his mind as his eyes fell on the creatures in front of him. A smile slid onto his lips and he hunched down behind the bush to watch them. He pulled out a notebook he'd been taking notes in and started to sketch out what the creatures looked like. Leta muttered a quick lumos and provided him light to keep him from straining his eyes. They stayed out there until the creatures suddenly perked up then scattered to the four winds. “Newt?” Leta asked tentatively. He looked up from his book and his eyes widened as he realized the little mooncalves were gone and saw in their place a herd of Centaurs glaring at them.

He slowly got up and took Leta's hand in his own. “If we leave now and don't bother them, they should let us leave in peace...”

“Should?” She hissed back.

“It's sketchy on what age they start to attack wizards and witches.” He said back his eyes darting all over the place. How had he let them sneak up on them? He should have been paying more attention... The sound of swishing tails filled the air, as hooves pawed at the ground. The eyes seemed to glow in the moonlight and even though he knew their lives were at risk he couldn't help but be fascinated with what he saw. He was amazed to see that they seemed to forgo clothing all together, and though he saw varying ages there didn't seem to be any women in sight. “Amazing.” He breathed.

“Newt.” Leta snapped.

He quickly looked back to the ground. Right, he wasn't alone. He couldn't think about learning about them, he needed to get Leta out of there. “We're almost far enough away...” They had reached the treeline again and soon enough they couldn't see the centaurs any longer. Newt let out a sigh of relief and gave Leta's hand a quick squeeze. “Alright let's go.” They turned around and started back towards the castle.

“Well that was exciting.” Leta said with a laugh after a few moments of silence passed between them.

“We should still be quiet though.” Newt advised.

“Oh please, they're not going to bother us. They know we're leaving.”

“But they're not the only ones in this forest to be worried about Leta.” He said as his body shook. He frowned and looked down at himself. He had known he was cold but he hadn't thought he was that cold. Another shake made his frown deepen. Was he going crazy or...

“Do... do you feel that?” Leta asked.

Newt paled and looked about them, as another rumble shook the ground around them. “That's... that's not good.” At that moment a Giant came into view and caught sight of the two of them. Newt's eyes grew wider and he started to make a run for it. “Run Leta!” He shouted and darted a few yards away. A giant? What in the world was a giant doing in the forest? This was not an encounter he had prepared for! It was about that time he realized that Lestrange was not following behind him. He stumbled to a halt and looked back to where she was, frozen in fear. “Leta!” He yelled and ran back towards her. The Giant was going right for her and he feared he wasn't going to be able to get there in time. “No, no, no!” Leta let out a scream as the Giant made a grab for her and Newt felt the power he had always pushed away, always tried to separate himself from beg to be let go, to take control, and he let it.

His eyes turned white as his very being fazed out of shape. Black shadows licked around him then engulfed him in a blast of power. A scream tore from his throat and he bashed into the Giant and made it stumble to the side. He heard Leta scream again but he only focused on the Giant. It gave a grunt and straightened back up and turned to look at the shadowy mass Newt had become. It gave a yell which Newt returned with a scream and rammed into him again. The power washed through his veins and he could feel every punch he threw get stronger and stronger. The creature stumbled to the ground but Newt didn't let up. He tore at the Giant again and again. How dare he try to hurt Leta!

“Newt!”

He clawed at the thing again and heard a whimper from the creature, another tear and a cry came from its lips. That made him stop in his tracks and actually look at what he was doing. The giant was now cowering on the ground with its arms over its head, bloodied and bruised. No... no he didn't do this, this wasn't him... He loved creatures of all kinds and wanted nothing more than to help them, to care for them. He held his hand to his head and tried to separate himself from the dark shadow creature again, to push the power, the feeling away. Or maybe bury it deep within himself once more. So deep that it would never come out again. Tears squeezed out of his eyes as he slowly felt himself become... human again. He collapsed to his hands and knees and curled in on himself as the last of the shadow disappeared from around him. “Leta?” He asked and looked around him to find her, but all he was greeted with was a circle of wands pointed at him, held by Aurors.

A witch stepped towards him, her gaze cold but somehow excited. “Newt Scamander, for the endangerment of another student life you are here by being taken into custody by the ministry of magic.”

 

~

 

That had been years ago. Newt rearranged himself on his bed and pulled the blankets closer to himself. It was cold in his room, just like it had been that night. He would never forget that night for as long as he lived. What ever life he had managed to pull together had been ripped from him by the Ministry of Magic. Apparently he was an abomination to the magical community, but an abomination that they had never gotten the chance to study. Everything was of course off the record, his parents had signed something that allowed the Ministry to do as they saw fit to ensure the safety of the population. He couldn't blame them, he had been a bother to them his entire life and once they were shown a picture of what he could do... what he had become, it was just too much for them, even for his mother.

He sighed and turned around again on the cot. The first year or so they kept telling him that he would get used to this life, would get accustomed to the tests and experiments... and he had wanted to believe them, of only for his own sanity. But here four years later he still wasn't used to it all. He groaned and sat up on the bed. He had no idea what time it was, and so pulled out one of the books they had given him to study. He had read it dozens of times by now, and was fairly certain he knew every spell that was in it. He bit his lower lip as he flipped through the pages, re-reading word after word. After a few pages though his mind wandered again and looked around him. The room was a nice size, though there wasn't much in it. He had a bed, a small desk and a trunk that held his clothes and anything else he had gathered over the years.

Even though he had been expelled from Hogwarts they had allowed him to keep his status as a hufflepuff and thus what decorations were in the room were Hufflepuff themed. He even had a scarf that showed his house pride. As much as it had hurt to be pulled away from the school he had never been able to bring himself to be mad at the place. He would probably defend and promote the school to his dieing breath. Just then a familiar scratching sound caught his attention and brought a smile to his mouth. He slipped off the bed and flattened himself to the floor, focusing his eyes on the small hole in the wall under his bed. A small green Bowtruckle emerged from the darkness and blinked its eyes up at Newt then smiled brightly at the young wizard.

“Hello.” He whispered and offered his hand to the small creature. “I'm glad you made it back safely. I was worried something awful for you.” The small thing made a few noise and Newt laughed. “Yes I suppose you're right.” The Bowtruckle first placed something in Newts hand then climbed up to his shoulder. “Oh would you look at that.” He smiled down at the piece of chocolate that the creature had found for him. “Thank you Lucky.” There was a happy clicking sound then the little Bowtruckle settled down in his mop of hair. Newt got comfortable on the bed again and started to nibble on the chocolate. Lucky had been the first creature he had befriended here, and was the only one that could hide and stay with him all the time. Lucky was his best friend and he didn't know what he would do should he ever lose him. He plucked the book back up and continued reading as he ate the chocolate. He had learned that anything Lucky brought him needed to be eaten right then and there for often the people who worked with him would search his room for any items he wasn't supposed to have.

They often thought he was somehow using the black shadow to get things and though that meant a vigorous day of testing when they found something in his room, he was pleased enough to let them think that. It kept Lucky safe and with him. As he finished off the chocolate he set the book down and pulled the blanket up over him again. With Lucky back he felt calmer and felt ready to catch what sleep he could He knew he had wasted a good amount of time with staring at the walls and ceiling, but some sleep was better then none.

The next day came faster than he would have liked and he was awoken to a hand shaking him awake. “Newton!” His eyes snapped open and he scrambled away from the touch. His breaths came in deep gasps and he could feel the rush of adrenaline rushing through his body. Or was that the shadows? “Well good morning sunshine. We were beginning to think you were dead with the way you were unresponsive. Not sleep well?”

Newt rubbed his eyes and shook his head. “No sir.”

“Well maybe some breakfast will perk your energy up. Get dressed and be out the door in five. I'll wait.” Newt nodded and watched the wizard leave, waiting for the door to close before he got up and started to change.

He slipped into plain black robes, something to help him feel like this was more a schooling experience than being a lab rat. He pulled Lucky from his hair and slipped the small creature into its normal hiding spot. “Remember to be careful, I don't want to lose you my friend.” He felt the leaves nod in acknowledgment then he took a breath and stepped out the door.

“Right on time, let's get to breakfast then we'll start your training with the wandless magic again. Maybe you'll make progress today?” Newt gave a hum and followed the wizard to the kitchens. They had taken his wand from him shortly after he had arrived, not because they didn't want him to learn magic but because the wand helped him focus and block out the Obscural. That was the shadowy part of him, the part that they were amazed he still had, that he was fifteen with that thing still inside him. At first he had hoped they would help him get rid of it, but soon he learned that all they wanted to do was find a way to use it to their own gain. He had a feeling that if they thought they could separate the two of them and still have the mass be useful they would do it in a heartbeat regardless of what might happen to him. He didn't want to think they were bad people, but he knew they weren't nice people, try as they might to hide it.

He sat down in his normal spot and soon enough food was set in front of him; since he hadn't been able to eat the previous night the food this morning actually looked good. As soon as the hands left the plate he scooped up his fork and got to work eating the eggs and bacon. “So the schedule today Newton,” The young wizard turned his attention to the man speaking though he still spared glances at his plate to fill his fork with bites. “After you're done here we're taking you to wandless training, then sector two wants to try again today.” Newt frowned but kept his thoughts to himself. He had failed with those tests yesterday, normally they didn't ask for him again at least for a few days. Not that it really mattered what he thought. He was only here because the Obsurcal was useless without him. “Then once your done in there they've agreed to let you back with the creatures today.” Though surprised that he'd get to see them two days in a row he wasn't about to complain.

True to the word as soon as the last bite was in his mouth he was whisked away to the first task of the day. “Ah Newton there you are. Lovely to see you again. How do you feel?” Newt nodded his head and looked down at the ground, his eyes flicking from shadow to shadow. He used to look around at their faces but he'd been taught in the first few months that the best place for his eyes was down on the ground. “Hopefully today we'll make some more progress yes?” Again he nodded his head and walked over to his spot.

“Now lift your hand and focus on object in front of you. I want you to bring that book over to you with Accio.” Newt focused on the book and felt the power crawl under his skin. He could feel the magic wanting to do as told, and he could also feel that darker power eagerly awaiting for him to use the magic. He sniffed and brought a hand up and focused on the book again. He needed to show progress today... he needed to make them believe that he was still a team player, that he hadn't been trying to figure out how to separate himself from the magical leech. “Accio.” He said and the book wiggled.

“No words Newton. You know the rules.”

He ran his tongue across his lips and tried again, this time making it look like he was trying even harder than last time. Again the book wiggled, but this time it moved a foot towards him. If he was truthful he could have pulled the book to him in the blink of an eye without uttering a word, but he couldn't let them know how much control he had gotten, how easy it was for him to use wandless magic. At least with the spells that he'd learned from the books. “You do realize that other children your age learned this spell years ago?”

“Sorry...” He mumbled. He refocused on the book and tried again.

“In fact if you would just try harder, put more effort into your work you could actually work on spells at the grade you're supposed to be on.” He knew the other was just trying to get a rise out of him, at least he liked to believe that. It was all just to make him feel a strong emotion of any kind, believing that was the key to releasing his power. He tried to just push the words aside then blocked out the voice entirely. He focused on the book and touched into the magic he had learned to feel over the years, then thought the spell and the book went flying into his hand. “There we go, Very good!” The book that had he had just gotten was taken out of his hand. “Now do it again.”

He spent the rest of the time practicing Accio. He knew the spells better than he let on, after all he had read the books hundreds of times by now. Though he missed the feeling of the wand in his hand he had become quite accustomed to the feeling of wandless magic. It almost felt natural to him after having done it for years. As soon as he was done there though he was whisked away to lunch then the sector two woman came and got him. “I hope today is productive.”

“Of course ma'am.” He replied automatically. The woman looked down at him but remained quiet the rest of the trip. Soon enough he was standing in the middle of the room waiting for the testing to begin. He closed his eyes as he felt the first wave of heat wash over him. Apparently they were going to try the heat test again. They had no idea what the parasite could do, what triggered it. Apparently there hadn't been one in centuries, or something like that. So they were trying to see what made it tick, what pushed the host too far, and ultimately how to use it for varying reasons. He shook his head and beads of sweat fell to the ground. He'd rather be hot than cold. He had heard some people say that they were doing this to figure out if it could be used to protect future generations of wizards and witches from persecutors, the guardian angle program they called it. Others just wanted to know what happened more in depth so they could stop it in the future. Others though... others he had heard in whispers wanted to find a way to use it... to use him to set wizards free from the secrecy they were forced to keep from muggles. In other words they wanted him to become a killing machine they could control.

He ran his arm over his forehead again and hunched over slightly. “Come on Newton! Let it take over, you don't need to control anything in this room. Nothing can get out from it!” Newt shook his head and bent over, resting his arms against his knees. Pushing him to his limits meant no sitting down, no matter what. The heat calmed down after a while and slowly a gas filled the room. He frowned as he had never seen this test before. He took a breath and felt his mind go foggy. “Newton...” There was a sigh. “I have a guest for you.” He shook his head trying to clear it of the heaviness that seemed to have fallen over it. The door opened and he looked over toward the odd light. Then he squinted his eyes as in stepped a figure he thought he recognized.

“Do you see the guest?” Newt nodded his head. “Do you know who it is?” He frowned and tried to get details on the person. First things first it was a man. He wasn't the tallest man on the planet, probably more average height. He had hair like his own only less curly...

Then the figure spoke and he felt his entire body go cold. “Newton.” No... no he couldn't be here. No one from his family had come to visit him. Why would he be here? He had been glad to be rid of him. “Look at how much of a let down you've become Newton. I knew your mother should have let me beat you. Then maybe I could have knocked more sense into you then.”

From the observation room nothing had changed where Newt was. They had leaked in a hallucinogenic gas, mixed with something that would make him see a person he knew and feared. “Newton, who do you see?”

“N-no... he c-can't be here. Why is my- my f-father here?” He backed away from the man and stumbled over his own feet.

“Get up Newton!” Newt covered his ears and continued to back away from him.

“No no no... you can't be here. Why would you come here? I've done as you've always asked! I've kept the magic pushed away. I did what you wanted, you said-”

“I'm here because you need another lesson.” There was a coldness to the man's voice he had always felt was there. His mother had always tried to convince him that his father cared for him and would never hurt him, but she didn't know. He had always been so careful about when he beat their son, she had never even suspected.

“No. no I don't. I-I've been trying. I've been trying to do what you wanted me to do, what you've always wanted me to do father.” He hunched over and closed his eyes. He couldn't really be there... something was off, something was wrong. But all his young mind could hear was the disgusted voice his father always used when talking to him. All he could feel were the old aches and bruises that he'd gotten over years of abuse. He backed into the wall and slid down it to the floor, wrapping his arms over his head. That's when he felt the first sting of pain hit him. It didn't feel like it had in years past but it still hurt. “No- no please!” He begged and fell onto his side. “P-please stop.” He started to feel that other energy become more active, could feel it ready to take over, to lash out at the one who was hurting him. He could hold it back... he knew he could hold it back, he'd done it countless times before. “Please...” He said his voice hoarse. Another flash of pain washed over him and his resolve weakened with it.

“You've been nothing but a burden to us from the start. When we heard that you had been thrown out of Hogwarts that was the final straw. What were we going to do with a son that even the greatest school we knew of couldn't help you? Couldn't fix you?” Newt shook his head and gave a whimper as another blast of pain hit him in the back. All he needed to do was let go, just let the parasite win, let it take him over. “If you're not going to give it your all what are you even doing with your life?”

“Father-” His entire body was trembling, whether from pain or emotions he wasn't sure.

“You are worthless, Newton.”

One final hit to his back was all it took to tip him over. His breath caught and his hands shook as he looked over at his father. “I- I'm worthless... a burden... that's all I am...” He sniffed and rubbed his nose on the back of his sleeve and tendrils of a black sand like substance started to circle around him. “I'm sorry that I've been such a horrible son... I-I'll try to be better.” Then he let out a scream and completely disappeared into a black formless mass that started to attack the walls, trying to get out. Sounds of screams came from the center of the mass but besides that there was no indication that it was once Newt Scamander.

“Merlins beard... It's beautiful.” Whispered the woman from the observation room. This was the first time since they had brought him in that they had actually been able to push him to change. He had been so against turning, now they knew why. His muggle father had been the reason he'd become an Obscural. It was his desire for his son to not be a wizard, to hide his magic that all this had happened. They should have been upset that this had happened, and to some degree she was. But it had given her this opportunity this century had never had before to study what happened during the transformation, what actually happened to the host of the parasite, how they changed forms, how they survived. The windows to the room shook and she flicked her wand out to reinforce them. “That room will hold right?” A nod from her fellow worker was all she needed to calm her mind. “Very well. Make sure we get good readings from this. We can not waste this opportunity.” Another nod and she turned her attention back to the black mass trying to cause havoc in the room. In a sense it was beautiful the way it lashed out and writhed in the air. That had been a boy who could barely look someone in the eye mere seconds ago and now it was a swirling mass of death. “Amazing.” She breathed. “Simply amazing.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own anything except the expansion on the plot and original characters, nor do I claim to own them.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As a heads up there is death in this chapter, though none are going into great detail.

Newt woke up to the feeling of grass underneath him. His head ached something awful and he felt like he'd tried to dance with a troll and failed. He groaned and flipped to his back and looked up. He frowned as he saw the sky above him, hadn't he been in the testing room? His mind felt fuzzy and his memories were clouded. A furry face soon took over his vision and big brown eyes looked at him with concern. “Dougal.” He said with a smile. “I am ever so glad to see you.” The small creature gave a purr like noise then curled up against his side. He brought his hand up and started to run his fingers through the fur while another creature came up and nuzzled his neck, a dark brown hippogriff. “Hello Charlie.” He said with a smile. He lifted his hand slowly and the hippogriff met it and nuzzled it wanting him to scratch behind its ears. Charlie wouldn't let anyone else get near him without fighting back, let alone touch them. So all had been amazed when Newt had managed to not only share a space with him but befriend the creature. It settled down next to him and Newt moved around to account for the new body.

He stayed like that for quite a while, so long in fact he was worried that the people would come and take him before he'd gotten to take care of his friends. “Alright guys, time to get up. I need to feed all of you before it's time for bed.” He gave them both pats then carefully got up and stretched. He still felt like he'd been hit with a train but he had more important things to think about right then. He started to move around the space prepping food for the various creatures. He felt a nuzzle to the back of his head and he grinned and glanced behind him. “Charlie be patient.” That earned him another nuzzle and a paw at the ground. Newt shook his head and got back to work on getting the food ready. Charlie poked his head around him and took a nip at one of the ferrets. “Ah ah.” Newt scooped the meat away. “No stealing Charlie.” The hippogriff nipped at him but took a step back shaking his head. Newt smiled ignoring the nip and finished up with the food. He threw a ferret to Charlie who caught it in mid air and started to rip into it.

“Take it slow, don't get choked up.” He then walked around the space and fed the rest of his friends. They all thanked him in their own ways as they dug into their food. He saved the last one for Dougal who he gave a rub behind the ears as he handed over the food. “I don't know what I would do with out you guys.” He said softly. The demiguise made contented little noises and munched at his food. Then his eyes lit blue for a moment and he paused, before he jumped behind Newt with a small screech. “Dougal, what's-” Then the door opened to reveal the woman.

“Come along Scamander. It's time to leave, say your goodbyes and we're off to dinner.”

Newt nodded his head and stood up. Dougal pulled at his sleeve and he looked back, confused. “It's all right buddy, I'll see you again soon, I promise.” He gave another scratch before he removed himself from the demiguise's grasp. The creature shook his head and tried to follow after Newt but the woman grabbed Newt by the arm and yanked him through the door before slamming it shut before any of the creatures could leave. Newt looked up at the woman confused, “Sorry, Dougal's not normally that clingy. He's never tried that before...”

“An annoyance that I won't have to worry about for much longer.” She said with a huff.

“What... what do you mean?” Newt looked up confused at her comment.

“We've decided to end the creature program.” This made Scamander stop in his tracks and stare at the back of the witch.

“End... the program? But what... what are you going to do with the creatures?”

She turned her cold gaze on him and quirked a brow. She stepped back to him and grabbed his arm and tugged him along behind her. “They're going to be exterminated as was their fate from the moment they were brought into this building.”

“But you can't do that! They're sweet creatures that don't want to harm anyone. They're not a danger to anyone!”

“Oh please Scamander. They are vicious magical beasts. The only reason they were here in the first place was so we could figure out how to dispose of them more humanely.”

“No, please don't hurt them. Please don't hurt my friends!”

“Friends?” She stopped and looked at him her mouth agape. “Those things can't feel actual emotion Scamander. You do know that don't you?”

“You're wrong, they can feel emotions, they are capable of so much. If you'd just give them a chance. Please, please don't hurt them.”

She snorted and rolled her eyes. “The decision has been made Scamander, it's not in my power to stop their deaths. I'm sure if you're good the ministry will get you another pet to... befriend.”

Newt tugged at the grasp on his arm, “No, no please don't hurt them!”

“Newton that is enough!” She tried to calm him down but he was having none of it, so she flicked her wand out and put a sleeping spell on him. He slowly drifted into unconsciousness, pleading for his creatures until the very last.

The next thing he saw was a green blur right in his face. He groaned and rubbed at his eyes. “Lucky?” He mumbled, and was rewarded with a quick series of clicks. He frowned and sat up, grimacing as blood rushed to his head. He groaned and rubbed the back of it and tried to figure out why there was a feeling of dread. He felt tiny hands pricking his skin and he looked down to see Lucky once again. It was shouting at him in its tiny voice and he suddenly remembered what had gotten him so worked up. “No... no no no!” He shot up to his feet and ran towards the door. “Hello?” He called out and waited a moment before calling out again. As soon as he was sure that no one was around he waved his hand over the lock of the door but nothing happened. “No no no, come on!” He tried again but still the door did not budge. “Lucky, lucky I need your help. They're going to kill all of them, we have to get to the creatures and save them.” Lucky nodded its head and bounced to the door and started to work on the lock. Newt took the time to run to his chest and pull out what he had that would be helpful, stuffing it all into a bag. A chirp told him the lock was open.

“Great work Lucky.” He held his hand out for the bowtruckle to hop onto and it quickly crawled up to his shoulder and then he was out the door and padding softly down the hall towards the creatures room. He crept along as silently as he could, but also as quickly as he could. He had no way to know if they had already done the deed but he couldn't allow himself to think like that. He had just made the final turn when a tug at his ear and sharp chirp made him stop and glance at his shoulder. “What is it Lucky?” The small creature pointed to the door to his right and he frowned. “That's not where they are.” Lucky tugged again, more forceful than the last time. “Alright, alright. But this better be important.” He brought his hand down level with the lock and his friend started work on getting it unlocked. Soon enough they were rewarded with a clicking sound and he slipped inside. “Now what was so important that you had to drag me in here?”

Lucky started to lead him around the room by pointing this way and that. “Lucky I really don't have the time-” The small thing paid him no mind and continued to move him one way after another. Newt looked around the space they were exploring and wondered at the amount of items that were in there. “What is this place?” He trailed his fingers along a few of the items but couldn't tell why they were stored in this place. Finally his friend told him to stop and he looked at the shelf in front of him. “What's here?” He looked at the shelf and noticed that there were some books, a bird cage, a bag, a suitcase, as well as other random items. “What is it that you want me to take?” Lucky hopped off his hand and landed on the shelf, before it scrambled its way to the suitcase. It patted the case then looked at Newt. “That thing? Why on earth would I want that thing?” The face of his friend darkened with frustration and again he patted the suitcase. “Fine, fine I'll take it.” He scooped up the suitcase and Lucky and made his way back to the door. His friend seemed to have calmed down with the suitcase in his hands and for that he was thankful. He didn't understand his friend sometimes. He knew the little guy got out quite often thanks to his size and so was able to see a lot more of the facility he was in than Newt had ever been able to. Maybe it had seen something about this case that had made it decide it belonged to Newt, or that Newt would need it for some reason. What ever the reason he had it now.

He waited a moment to make sure no one was coming before he slipped back into the hall way and started back down the hallway. He was at the creature door in a matter of minutes and between the pair of them they were able to get it opened. He slipped inside and the reaction was immediate. They were awake and a nervous energy was hovering in the air. “Shh, shh it's alright we're going to get out of here... some how.” Now that he had actually made it this far he wasn't sure what to do next. He hadn't actually thought he'd make out his door let alone down the hall to his creatures. Lucky was ahead of him though it seemed, as he was back at the case Newt had set down and was jabbing at it with his tiny fingers. “Lucky?” He knelt beside the case and set it on its side. Lucky started to pull on one of the latches and Newt got the idea and unlocked the suitcase. He opened the lid and frowned as he didn't see a bottom to it. He hesitantly placed his hand inside it and his eyes widened as it just kept going down past where the bottom should be, in fact he had gotten his entire arm in there without hitting anything. “By the stars...” He pulled his arm out and stuck his head inside and was greeted by a gigantic open space inside the case. He looked one way and then another and all he saw was an open grassy field inside.

“What is this?” He breathed as he pulled out. Lucky smirked at him as it crossed its arms. “How did you even know about this?” A snort around him reminded him that they still weren't out of the clear yet. “Never mind that now I suppose, more important things at hand and all that.” He got to his feet and turned around. “Alright everyone, into the case. We're getting you out of here.” He walked around the yard and picked one creature after another up and placed it inside the case, thrilled as one after another managed to get inside, even the larger ones being able to fit in somehow. He did this, making sure to grab everyone, until only Dougal and Charlie were left. “Come on Dougal, into the case.” The demiguise shook its head and instead crawled onto Newts back. “Dougal...We don't have time for this. Please for your safety get in the case.” Lucky tugged at his finger and Newt knew they couldn't waste time arguing. He grabbed his friend and with a little shoving got it in the case before he closed and locked it up. He grabbed Lucky and plopped him on his shoulder before he scrambled onto the back of the hippogriff. “Alright Charlie, we're going to get out of here and you'll get to fly again. Sound good?” Charlie threw his head into the air and pawed at the ground. Newt smiled and waved his hand and opened the door. Charlie started forward and within moments they were trotting down the hall.

Newt kept an ear perked for the sound of guards or other people up and about and was thankful that his absence in his room had yet to be noticed. The longer his listened though the more he realized that the only sound he heard was that of Charlie's hooves and talons hitting the smooth tiled floor. A sense of unease started to settle in his gut. Shouldn't there be some kind of patrol out? He'd never been out of his room after hours as it were but he knew he'd heard footsteps pass his door at regular intervals when he couldn't sleep... He ran his tongue over his lips and tied to push aside the feeling and just focus on getting out of there. That was something he knew the location of as he passed the hall leading out of this section every day to and from his room. He lead Charlie down corridor after corridor, his entire body on alert waiting for an attack of some kind, of any kind. He let out a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding when he finally saw the hall that lead to the door out of here. He urged Charlie into a faster pace, starting to feel antsy about the entire thing.

“I think we're actually going to make it guys.” He said softly as they rounded the bend in the corridor.

“I have to say, I'm rather impressed.” Newts head snapped up and saw where the patrols he had been wondering about were. In front of him was the night patrol as well as the second in command. “I thought you might try a little stunt like this, so I took precautions. Now if you're a good boy and hand over the creatures we won't hold this against you and let you go back to your room.”

“No, you're just going to kill them.” He tightened his grasp on the case and Charlie pranced around slightly feeling the fear Newt felt. “They're not dangerous, I swear to you.”

“Just because this batch isn't as hostile as their wild counterparts doesn't mean they aren't just as much of a threat.” She said in a bored tone.

“I've spent the last four years with them ma'am. I think I'd know whether or not they were dangerous.” He said trying to hide the shake to his voice. His eyes darted around as he spoke hoping to find something, anything that would help them escape.

“Please you're only a child Newton, you know nothing. Now get down off that beast before we have to force you down.” His heart started to pound in his chest as his his hands started to shake. Charlie began to dance even more underneath him and the woman rolled her eyes. “Very well. Have it your way.” She looked to the men behind her. “Pleas escort N-001 back to his room.” They nodded and readied their wands.

“No, no I won't let you kill them!” He threw his hand out and the four guardsmen flew to either side, slamming into the walls. Charlie reared up and gave a squawk before Newt could throw another silent spell at them. “Easy Charlie, come on boy!” He felt a shock graze his leg and he let out a yelp of surprise and quickly threw a lightening bolt at the guard that had attacked him. The man grunted and threw another attack.

“I though he didn't know wandless magic!”

“Obviously he's been hiding how well he's taken to it!” The woman spat and got her own wand out. “Attack the hippogriff if the boy's too much for you.” She snarled and threw a spell of entanglement at the beasts legs. It hit it's target square on and Charlie stumbled to its side trying to free its legs of the spell.

Newt fell off Charlie and deflected the next series of spells thrown at him. “Charlie hold on I'm coming.” He made his way to the hippogriff and quickly cut through the bonds with magic. He felt a sting to his back that brought a cry to his lips and he quickly turned around and deflected the next blow. They weren't just trying to bring him in any longer. If that had been their intent that last spell would have frozen him stead of hurting him. His eyes grew wide as he realized they were trying to make him turn again. Charlie scrambled to his feet and reared back as a wizard got too close and he racked his talons across his side making the man scream. “Charlie careful!” He reached out for his friend but the hippogriff was enraged and started to charge at the wizards, his giant wings flapping and his front feet tearing at clothing and skin. 

“Charlie, Charlie no!” He tried to make his way to his friend but two of the men blocked his path. He defended himself from their spells while begging Charlie to calm down. Then the room flashed green as a spell was uttered that sent a chill down his spine. Everyone froze as Charlie fell to the ground motionless. Newt's heart stopped as he saw his friend laying on the ground still as death. “Charlie?” When no response came he threw the two men in front of him to the side hearing grunts as they impacted with the walls. “Charlie!” He ran to the creatures side and slid to his knees bringing his hands to feel for a pulse, to feel for breath, to feel for any sign of life. “Charlie, Charlie!” He shook the creature hoping he was only hurt and would nuzzle his hand like he always had, would blink up at him with pain but love in his eyes, but he knew... he knew.

“As I said Newton, they're nothing more than beasts. Did you see the way he lashed out at all of us?”

“Of course he attacked, you attacked him...” He said trying to hold back the tears. He ran his fingers through the feathers of his neck as he heard the foot steps get closer to him. “He wasn't dangerous... he was my friend... he was only protecting me...” Shadows started to lick around his figure and he heard the footsteps falter. “He was my friend and you just... just killed him.” Tears finally fell from his eyes as his body started to faze out of focus.

“Get out of here!” The woman yelled and the wizards started to race down the hall to get away, but there was no running from the Obscural now. With a scream Newt disappeared into a raging ball of shadows and sand and flew after the retreating forms of the people. He knocked into the first Wizard throwing him up into the air, only for him to fall back down motionless, scars littering his face. Inside the mass Newt knew this was wrong, but the knowledge of it being wrong was drowned out by the pain he felt over the pointless death of his friend. So he rushed after the rest of the group, with only their deaths on his mind.

An alarm started to go off but that did nothing to slow the Obscural down as it chased after its prey. Around the next turn found two more of the guards dead. With every death though the mass shuddered and caved in on itself a moment before bursting out even stronger than before and racing after the next victim. At the end of the hall way the woman split from the last man and the Obscural chased after the woman. She ran fairly fast but took a wrong turn and found herself in a dead end. She flipped around and held a hand out as if to pacify the raging ball of shadows. “Newton, Newt I know you're in there! Listen to me!” The woman was cornered and she knew her death was upon her. The mass halted a moment and everything became eerily still. The Obscural twitched in place, pieces of it lashing out randomly as it seemed to watch the woman. “Newt, newt I am so sorry. I had no idea that the beast meant so much to you.”

The Obscural gave a cry and exploded around the room, making the woman duck down covering her head as she screamed. Then it reformed into its mass shape. She brought her wand out to try and do something, but it was ripped out of her hand before she could even think of a spell. “Newt, Newt I'm sorry! We'll get you another one, we'll get you ten! Just please don't-” She shrieked as she was thrown into the air, then all sound stopped as she floated in mid air a moment before she fell to the ground, as motionless as Charlie had been. The Obscural stayed there a moment as if looking at the death it had caused before it collapsed in on itself again and seemed to scream in pain, then it raged back to the exit where Newt finally regained control as he saw Charlies lifeless corpse and stumbled to his knees, his breathing labored and his body trembling. “What have I done?” He breathed. He took in a shuddering breath and let out a sob. “What did I do!” He cried and curled in on his side, the reality of what had just happened crashing in on him.

He should have been more careful, he shouldn't have ridden Charlie, he should have made a better escape plan. He should have been better. He felt a prick at his skin and he looked over to see Lucky tugging at his sleeve. He scooped the bowtruckle up and gently held him close. “Lucky... Lucky I'm so glad you're alright.” The little thing wrapped its arms around Newts cheek then tugged at his ear and pointed towards the door. Newt hiccuped but nodded his head. He gave Charlie one last stroke before he scrambled to his feet, grabbed the case and slipped out the door.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I own nothing except the expansion on the plot and original characters, nor do I claim to own it.   
> Thank you all for reading!


	4. Chapter 4

The Auror walked through the halls of a section of the ministry he hadn't even known existed until an hour ago when he'd been informed that the Obscural had gone on a rampage and killed four people. “Merlins beard... I can't believe he did all this. How old is he now?”

“N-001 is 15 years old now.”

“That just makes me feel old.”

The female laughed and shook her head. “Please, 25 is anything but old.” Her face took on a more serious expression. “This place, the people who worked here were given the task of figuring out how to try and reverse the process.”

“Looks like they weren't doing a very good job.”

His MiM escort snorted and gave a quick nod of her head. “Looks that way.”

“Should be simple enough though right? Just find him with the under age wizarding tracker.” the man said.

The woman shook her head. “Won't work for this one. Since this was all off the books that tracker was removed so no one else could locate him that way.”

“Why would something like this be off the books?” He frowned. “Is the Ministry wanting to keep it to themselves? Even with as rare as this has become, knowledge like that could save lives.”

“See that was my question too. But when I asked about it I was given the run around.” She looked disappointed by it all; then sighed and shook her head. “My thoughts?”

“Shoot.”

“They were trying to figure out how to control the thing, make it work for them like they did the dementors. I don't think they gave a trolls boogie about finding a way to help the kid.”

His face hardened and he nodded his head slowly. “Would explain why everything splinched here. The kid couldn't take it any more and broke down.”

“Did you see what happened at the entrance?”

He shook his head, “I was being shown the bodies.”

“They tried to tell me that the dead beast up front was done by the kid as well, but I did my own spell on the location and saw that the dead woman used an unforgivable on the creature. When it died that's when the kid lost it.”

“Damn.” He ran a hand over the back of his head. “Even if what we think is wrong, we know something else was going on down here that someone wanted to keep hushed up.”

She nodded her head and they started down the hall to the room they had kept N-001 in. “Hey... are you alright? I know you were one of the ones that brought the kid in.”

His shoulders tensed a moment then he huffed. “Yeah. Just wished I'd been able to stay around longer. Made sure that MiM didn't do something like this. There are better ways to learn about something surely.”

“Hey you didn't have a choice,” She placed a hand on his shoulder and gave it a quick pat. “When MACUSA calls you back you have to go.”

“Yeah well, look where that's gotten the kid.” They arrived at the door to his room and his face hardened as it looked more like a prison cell than a bedroom door. He had left this person in their care without a fuss because he believe that MiM would treat the child better than MACUSA would. Now he wasn't sure he'd made the right call. He opened the door and they stepped inside. The first thing he noticed was that it was noticeably colder in the room.

“Wow, that's a difference. Do you think it was always this cold?” The man shrugged and started to look around for any indication of what the kid would do next. They searched all over the room but all they came up with was his love of Hogwarts, and a mouse hole under his bed. “Looks like he made friends with any creature he could say hello to.” She waved her wand over the floor and sure enough tiny little footprints could be seen in the layer of dirt on the floor.

“We have to find him Marlene. Before any of the other Aurors do.”

“I know Graves, and we will.”

 

-

 

He was cold. A shiver ran down his spine as he walked down the streets of London, the suitcase clutched tightly to his chest. He'd been walking for hours, jumping at every little sound believing it to be the ministry come to drag him back, to sentence him to death for what he'd done. Maybe that's what he deserved. Nothing like him should be alive... he really was a monster. His steps slowed until he finally came to a stop. He was a monster, an abomination. They were right to fear him, to lock him up. He sniffed and started forward again. But right then that didn't matter. All that mattered right now was taking care of the creatures in his case. Some of them had been born in captivity and had no idea there was a world outside the room they'd lived in their entire life. It didn't matter what he thought about himself he had a duty to the creatures relying on him to care for them, to save them from the wizards in the world.

First things first was to find a place they could take shelter in for the night, or should it be to get as far away as possible from London? He hadn't heard of spells that would help him travel greater distances, and though he knew that some people enjoyed playing a game on broomsticks he wasn't sure how they made them fly, Charlie was- No. No he couldn't think on that. He took a shaky breath and moved on. So all that left him was walking, for he didn't even have money to pay for a ride anywhere. He groaned as he stomped through the snow. Why couldn't he have escaped in the spring? At least then he wouldn't be freezing. He carried on in this fashion until he saw a small fire off to his left, seemingly under a bridge. Only thinking of the warmth it would provide he made his way over to it. As he neared he saw that there were people standing around it and he hesitated in his walking, but after a few moment of observing he decided they weren't magical and so approached them.

“Well what do we'ave ere?” Said one of the figures catching sight of the young boy. “I do believe we got a whipper snapper in our midst.” The other two people turned and looked over at Newt and seemed to be sizing him up. He glanced down at the ground and hunched his shoulders suddenly feeling like this hadn't been a good idea.

“Ach now William yer frightening the poor lad.” A woman's voice spoke up. The owner then turned around and offered a hand to Newt. He didn't take the hand but hesitantly stepped closer to the fire. “There we are lad. Yeh look half frozen. Come warm up by tha fire.”

“Mady yer going tah be tha death of this group with your mothering of every little thing that walks by.” William spoke up.

“Ah lay off William, look at tha kid. He's near skin and bones. Can't reckon a little thing like tha puts up much of a fight.” The third person finally spoke up. He seemed to be the older of the three and William obviously respected him as he fell quiet, only giving a shrug in response.”Thank yeh. Now Lad, here we are talking like yer deaf. Wha's yer name son?”

“Newt.” He said quickly. As they had been talking he'd set his case between his legs and had started to feel warmth spread through his hands and up his arms, while his shivering finally started to become more manageable.

“Now tha there is a right strange name.” Said Mady. “Never heard of someone calling themselves Newt. Was tha the name you were born with?” He quickly nodded his head. “Strange parents tah be sure.” She said with a shrug.

“Speaking of,” William spoke up again. “Where are yer parents lad?”

“Dead.” He replied quickly. Though he knew they were alive and well he also knew they wanted nothing to do with their monster of a son. His keepers had told him about how they hadn't even hesitated when they said they needed to keep him at the Ministry and would probably never see him again. They had been so disappointed in their son, so upset that he had managed to get himself thrown out his first year at school.

“Aw poor thing.” Mady said and gave him a sad look. “Aint fair to have to be on yer own at such a young age. Why yah can't be more than 12.”

“Actually... I'm 15.” He said softly staring into the flames.

“15? My word but you look scrawny.” Newt ducked his head down and tried to make himself smaller.

“Mady tha things tha come outta yer mouth.” The third one spoke up again. “I reckon he just needs a few good meals in'im and he'd perk right up.”

“Well we don't have the meals tah give'im.” William said quickly. “We don't even have tha meals fer ourselves.”

“I-I'm sorry but I don't want to be a bother. Just wanted to warm up a bit was all. I'll go ahead and be on my way.” He grabbed his case and turned to leave but Mady caught his shoulder and turned him back around.

“Nonsense lad. It's too dark tah see yer own hand in front of yer face right now. You'd get eaten sure as day. Don't listen tah William. We're glad tah'ave a new person tah talk with. Sharing a fire is little payment fer tha company of a new face.”

Though Newt didn't rightly catch everything she had said he understood enough that she wanted him to stay. He quickly said his thanks and set the case down before sitting on top of it. The warmth of the fire was comforting and made the events of the day almost melt away. “Now wha were we talking aboot afore this?”

“Something about there being a curse on that forest on tha edge of town.”

“Oh tha's right. Aint natural the things I've heard aboot tha place.”

“Mady yer visiting the pubs too much. You know as well as me tha only wolves and deer live in those woods.”

“I-I'm sorry, but what woods are you talking about?”

“Ah don't get around much do yah?” Mady said with a sad smile. “I'm talking aboot tha woods tah tha north of'ere. People say they've seen giants horses with wings, while others say that they aint no livin horse but tha skeleton of one with the skin of a horse. They say it's a bad omen.” She nodded her head absent mindedly as she rubbed her hands together in front of the heat.

“Now tha's rubbish and yah know it.” The eldest spoke up again. He looked at Newt and rolled his eyes. “If we're nah careful she'll start tah tell us that witches are real too.” He gave a wink and chuckled under his breath.

Newt attempted a laugh but it came out more of a cough than a laugh, that ended with him doubled over. “Aw tha poor thing.” He felt a hand gently touch his back and without thinking flinched away and managed to remove himself from the touch. The woman looked at him surprised a moment and then somehow her eyes got even sadder. “Oh... yeh poor thing.” She whispered but didn't try to touch him again. The two men said nothing about it and soon the three started talking about what had been going on around the city, where they would go the next morning for food and on the whole planning their next day. Finally a yawn escaped Newt and William caught sight of it.

“Alright yah gas bags its high time we got some sleep. I'll take Newt'ere as I have tha extra sleeping place.”

“Just be sure tah treat'im right William. Otherwise yah'll be answering tah me.” Mady said with a stern look.

William waved her off and motioned for Newt to follow him to one of the blocked off corners. “Not much, but it keeps the wind from blowing right through yah and tha rain off yer head.” He pointed to a sleeping mat that lay opposite his own. “You can take tha one fer tha night. If yah need another blanket I have a couple more in the box right'ere.” He shoved a box towards him then settled down into his own pallet and curled up into the blankets. “Night Newt. See yah in tha morning son.”

Newt set his case down next to the pallet then got settled into the blankets, piling them on top of him. He waited until he heard the steady snoring of William before he spread his fingers out and started to heat the blankets that were around him. Soon enough he was nice and toasty and drifting off into a dreamless sleep. He'd leave in the morning, but for now he just needed sleep. 

Leaving the next morning turned into leaving the next morning. Which in became the next morning, until almost a week had passed before he knew it. He had grown accustomed to the three older muggles, though he wouldn't say he felt at home with them, he at least felt safe around them. Around the fifth day he was walking beside Mady as she gave him a tour of the far side of the city. He had told her pieces of truth during their time together, though of course he hadn't told her everything. His family wasn't from London and so he could truthfully tell her that, and though this wasn't his first time in London, it was his first time in muggle London and so thus everything that she would show him was new. He knew he needed to get away from her eventually though as he needed to check on his creatures. He had been able to slip off about once a day to take care of the creature in his case, and he had even started to get to work on dividing the area into sections to make things more comfortable for his creatures. Eventually he wanted to learn how to set up individual places in the case that would be like the habitat they would have lived in had they been in the wild. But that would require more advanced magic then he currently knew. 

Which was another thing. Some how, some way he needed to find a way to learn new spells. He knew there had to be more out there then what the Ministry had given him. He had even been told so the just last week that everything they had taught him was beginner stuff, first and second year with maybe some third thrown in. If he had any chance of surviving out in the world he would need every spell he could get his hands on. The only problem was he had absolutely no idea where to get spell books other than Diagon ally, and even if he could risk going there he had no money to his name. “Why Newt yah look like a dark cloud had settled right over yer brain. Careful nah tah think too hard otherwise we might see smoke coming out yer ears.”

He quickly looked down and tightened his grasp on his case. “Sorry ma'am.”

“Ach tha was nothing tah apologize fer. I was really asking what's wrong?”

“Oh... oh I see. Sorry.” he said again and looked to the side to watch the people that were passing. There was silence and when he looked back at her as she sat there, eyebrows raised waiting for him to talk to her. “Umm... well see... I'm worried. I don't have any money, I don't know how to get money. And I need to learn stuff so I can survive but to get the books I need to be able to learn stuff I need money, which brings me full circle to I don't have any.” He sighed and let his head rest on his knees. “I don't know what to do...” He added in a whisper.

“Well I'm sure a young lad such as yourself will be able tah find work somewhere in no time at all. I know tha factories are always looking fer new blood.” He perked up at the thought of being able to get a job. Maybe earning muggle money would work. If he lived quietly among muggles he would be able to earn money and care for the creatures in his case. Though as he'd listened to the trio the last few nights there were apparently magical creatures roaming muggle London, and he just couldn't shake this desire to help them. To get to them, to save them before the Ministry came in and killed them. “Hey Mady... the first night I was here you mentioned skeleton horses in the forest?”

“Did I now?” Newt frowned and looked over to her only to be greeted with a smile. “Do you fancy yerself a monster hunter?”

“Umm... yes I suppose. Of a sorts.”

“Well then those woods are tha right place tah start. Now the other two will tell yah I'm bat crazy fer believing wha I'm aboot tah say but I'ave a feeling tha you have a more open mind. Have yah ever noticed tha sometimes there are hours, sometimes day just gone from yer memory? Or tha sometimes a group of people can't recall the same amount of time from the same day? Or perhaps yah've noticed tha there are things tha happened around tha city tha just aren't natural? Well son I'm gonna tell yah tha hard truth. There are a group of people tha live among us tha'ave magical abilities.”

“Like... like Witches or Wizards?” Newt asked hesitantly.

She tapped her nose with a wink. “Right on that nose. Yer a quick one to be sure. I'll tell yah what. I'll take yah to the woods I was talkin aboot and then you can go and explore to yer hearts content. Maybe yeh'll find a creature that needs help, maybe yeh'll find nothing. Either way sound like great fun aye?”

Newt perked up at the mention of helping a creature and quickly nodded his head. “Oh yes please.”

She smiled and picked herself up off the ground. “Alright then let's go. When yer done I'll'ave somethin fer us tah eat.” Newt nodded his head and hopped up, picking his case up as he did so. They walked for a good hour before they came to the edge of the city and the start of the woods. “Here we are love. The beasts that're reported live in there some where.” At that moment a look of hesitation crossed her aged face. “Yah know now tha I'm thinking aboot it... are yah sure yah wanna go in there? It probably isn't tha safest thing fer a young lad such as you tah go in there and all that. Probably nah something I should let yah do either, if I were bein a responsible adult.”

“If there's a creature in there that's hurt then I have to go and help it. I can't explain why... it just feels right.”

She looked at him a moment longer then smiled and shrugged. “Alright. Yah know tha way back when yer done? I'll have food fer yah, I promise.”

He nodded his head then readjusted his grasp on his case, then took a breath and walked past the first row a trees. His thoughts drifted to the creature that he had heard them describe. If what they saw was true and not an illusion brought on by a spell or something more muggle then it could very well have been a Thestral. Often times they were mistaken as creatures of evil and death as even muggles could put two and two together that they only saw the horses when they had watched someone die. As he made his way deeper into the forest he kept his eye out for any type of rabbit or other small animal he could catch in order to tame the creature he believed was in the woods.

He wandered around for much too long and soon the sun was working on its downward descent. He knew it was a good deal after noon by this point and he hadn't had anything to eat since Lunch the previous day. “That doesn't matter though. You have higher priority than your stomach.” He said under his breath then froze as he saw a rat scurry into view. He let out his breath slowly then lifted his hand up and focused on the small rodent. “Sorry.” He flicked his fingers and the rat gave a squeal before it fell over dead. He lifted his hand and made the rat hover in mid air. “Well that's a start.” He grabbed it by the tail then started back up on his journey to find the creature. He let out a puff of air as the shadows started to lengthen under the trees.

His foot steps crunched as he made his way through the snow and a wind made its way between the trees, causing a shiver to run down his spine. Even though he could keep warming himself with magic, it wouldn't be wise to continually use it as it would ultimately drain him of energy, at least he was fairly certain that was how that would work. That had never been something they'd talk to him about. He halted as another rat came into his line of sight and he quickly caught that one like the first. Two was much better than one, better chance of befriending what ever was in here. He carried on in this fashion until the sun was slipping under the horizon. He sighed and came to a halt. He was torn between returning to the people who had taken him in without question, or staying a little longer and searching for the creature that was causing panic among the muggles.

He bit his lip but decided that they wouldn't miss him terribly while who knew how long this creature had before MiM got involved. He moved his case to the same hand that was holding the rats so he could free up one hand then whispered, “Lumos.” His palm slowly lit up and a soft light was thrown onto the ground in front of him. He smiled then carried on with his search of the creature. That ended up being the right decision as not a half hour later he came across the creature he'd been looking for. It had indeed been a Thestral and if the way it was holding its hind leg was anything to go by, it was hurt. “Nox.” He muttered then slowly set the case down. He was about to step towards the creature when Lucky made his presence known and pointed at the case, motioning for him to open it up. He frowned at first then realized that if he was truly going to help this creature it would need to be inside his case. Of course! He set the case on its side and clicked it open. The sound made the creature look at him and perk its ears up. He watched as it's nose quivered towards him as it smelled the fresh meat.

Newt smiled and pulled one of the rats from his pile. “Hey there.” He said gently. “Would you like something to eat?” The Thestral shook it's head causing its mane to flip around. It took a few steps forward then pranced backwards, favoring its hurt leg. “Easy... easy.” He hunched down slightly and offered the rat as far from his body as his arm would allow. “I promise I don't bite.” The corner of his mouth twitched up, and the Thestral took a hesitant step forward. It stretched its neck out as far as it would go before its teeth clamped down on the rat and ripped it from Newts hand, dancing away as soon as the food was in its mouth. Newt let out a small chuckle as it threw its food into the air then caught it back in its mouth and munched happily. “There we go.” He said and pulled another rat from his hand. He'd managed to catch a total of five on the way up, so he had four to get it to trust him and a fifth to get it in the case.

He again offered the rat and this time instead of dancing away it stayed where it was as it ate the next rat. He again pulled another from his pile and offered it closer to his person, and was pleased when the Thestral came closer with only a little hesitation. Two more... he had two more. He offered the next rat even closer and again the Thestral came closer, even bolder than the last time. He was with in touching distance now and though he desperately wanted to touch the beautiful beast he knew that would not be the wisest move. He held the last rat up in front of its nose and the creature made a grab for it, but Newt pulled it away at the last moment. That made the Thestral snort and shake its head, and stepped closer. Newt held the rat right above the case, made sure the creature was watching it before he dropped it inside. With out hesitation the Thestral lunged for it and as soon as its head and neck hit the open case the rest of it fell inside. Newt let out a whoop of joy before quickly following after the creature into the case.

Inside was a mess to say the least. With the addition of the Thestral the rest of the creatures started to fidget and prance around at the sudden addition. “Easy guys, easy. I'm here. Shhhh” He said and held his hands up to try and soothe his friends. In the center of everything was the Thestral prancing around as best as it could with its hurt leg. “Easy there. Hey, hey everything's alright.” he saw the rat forgotten on the ground and slowly picked it back up. “Hey, hey look over here.” The Thestral seemed to calm down enough to look towards Newt and saw the rat in his hands. “That's right, come right over here.” He said softly and didn't move towards the creature. Slowly the skeletal horse made it's way towards him. Though every few steps it would prance in a little circle before refocusing on Newt with a few words from the young man and would walk towards him again.

Finally after what felt like hours the Thestral stopped right in front of him and Newt set the rat down on the ground. It bent its neck and started to munch on the rat where it sat and Newt carefully brought his hand up and gave a hesitant rub on its neck. The only indication it even noticed was a flick of its tail. “There we go... that's a good... Thestral.” Another flick of its tail. He smile and moved his hand to the hurt leg, letting it hover just close enough to brush against the skin. The Thestral twisted its head to watch what Newt was doing, giving a low snort. “I'm just going to make this feel better, alright?”

He had preformed the spell on himself countless times to heal minor aches and pains from days of tests and work but never to something like this. He took a calming breath then focused on the torn muscle and skin, and started to work on knitting it all back together. It had not been one in his spell books but rather was one that he'd been taught on the side by a witch that claimed she cared about him. Now that he thought back to it they probably hoped to tempt him to use it with his creatures and thus get closer to regaining control over his magic. The Thestral let out a low almost growl like sound and nipped Newt in the side. He bit his lip at the sudden bite but didn't utter a sound as he finished healing the leg. Once it was done the Thestral pranced away then seemed to realized that it wasn't hurting any longer. It gave it a test run along the meadow before returning to Newt and headbutting him in the chest, before nuzzling his hair. Newt laughed and brought his hands up to give the great creature a rub on the neck. “You belonged to someone didn't you? You're much to easy around people to not have been.” He pulled back and looked into its eyes. “So what happened to your home, hmm?” The Thestral shook its head then leaned into Newts touch. “Don't worry... you're safe now. I'll take care of you.”

 


	5. Chapter 5

Two weeks... two weeks the boy had been missing. Two weeks and they didn't have a single lead on where he might have run off too. They had checked with the family, had checked with the school, even his old friend the Lestrange girl. Every single one had come up empty handed. It was as if he had completely disappeared from the wizarding world. He was only a child, how was he able to hide from them, from him? He rubbed the palms of his hands against his forehead. How could he possibly apply for the head of department back at MACUSA if he couldn't even find one small child.

A knock on his door brought him out of his thoughts. He had been given a space across the hall from his MiM partner while they were working on this case. “Come in.”

“I thought you'd still be here.” Marlene offered a cup of steaming liquid towards him. “Here, it'll help clear the mind. At least for a bit.” He snorted, but took the cup with a mutter of thanks and took a sip from it. “How did the last interview go?”

“No better than the last ones. No one has seen him for years.” He frowned and set the cup down and started to shuffle through the paper work on the desk. “I thought his family was supposed to visit him a couple times a year?”

“They didn't want to.”

He stopped his searching and looked up at her. “They didn't want to see their son?”

“Well, the mom may have wanted to but the father said there would be no contact between them and the youngest Scamander. They've focused entirely on the eldest son, it's almost as if they tried to obliviate him from their lives without actually using the spell.”

“What wonderful parents.” He said with a small look of disgust.

“I can't say I blame them. It's hard to know that your own child turned into... into one of those things.”

“Well it's not my job to judge their actions as they're not criminal. All I care about now is finding that boy before he hurts someone else or himself. He's the highest level of uncontrollable magic we know of and he's just out there without any supervision.”

“Well we can't just make facts appear out of thin air. Maybe we should send out another search party to comb through the alleys and under bridges. Surely he's still in the city. He has no money and no where to go. He can't have made it very far.”

“I'll go hit the streets myself.” He stood up and pulled his coat from off the back of his chair.

“Alright I'll come with you.”

“You don't have to.”

“But I want to. I may not have been there when N-001 was brought in but I want to be there when we do it again so this time I can assure that everything goes right on my end. After all it's my government that messed this up.”

Graves nodded his head and the pair left in a quick pop, reappearing outside in the shadow of a building. “So let's go through this again. We know he made it out of the building, and that the most probably route he took was the one that lead to this exit on the south side.”

“And following that reasoning the most logical route to take to get away from MiM would be this path here.” She pointed down the path they'd followed two weeks ago in hopes of find Newt.

“But we followed that one and came up empty handed. What would be another path a frightened young boy would take?” He ran a hand over his jaw then squatted to about the height he thought Newt might be. “He's just witnessed the death of an animal he cared deeply for, then killed four people. He was stressed and not thinking clearly.” He scanned the area and chewed the inside of his lip as he thought. “What was his contact with the No Maj world before he was taken in?”

“The what?”

Graves sighed but clarified, “The... muggle world.”

“Oh little contact in all honesty. The parents told us that he had trouble controlling his magic as a young child and so they didn't allow friends to come over for fear of harm coming to them.”

“Let's expand our search into the muggle world.”

“But-”

“It's the one place no one knows him, the one place we can't put out wanted signs. At least not yet...”

“Alright, I'll trust you on this.”

Graves nodded his head and straightened up. This had to work, if they didn't find him soon there was no telling what would happen.

 

-

 

Newt stayed with the three people who had showed kindness that first night he'd run away, and they welcomed him into their group with little fuss. He jumped at every shadow expecting each one to be someone to bring him back to the MiM, but as the days turned into weeks, and the weeks into months, he slowly started to let his guard down as he got settled into the new lifestyle. He bounced between all three of them, depending on who needed help with odd jobs that paid a little money. He knew he needed to leave London, honestly needed to leave the U.K in general, but to do that he needed money to cross the ocean. He had fabricated a story that he had family in France that would take him in, he just needed to get the money for a ticket. When he wasn't working with one of them though he'd sneak off and disappear into the case to care for his creatures. He had run out of all provisions he'd been able to throw in, and had resorted to picking over what he could find outside of factories and the like.

During his time outside he had been fascinated with the way muggles had been able to grow and cope without magic. He hadn't gone anywhere near Wizards and Witches since he'd left, and though inside there was a a twinge of homesickness, a desire to be around magic all day every day, it wasn't to overpower the excitement he felt studying the world he found himself in. It was like a entire other world that he had completely forgotten about, and it was mind blowing. Being around the muggles and their world, he was able to forget for hours on end that he was different from the rest of them, and it felt nice to just blend in. But like everything in his life, it wasn't meant to last and soon enough he'd gathered enough money to get a ticket across the English Canal, and had decided to head out. If only he'd left sooner... As he sat on the bench and watched the water pass them by he thought back to the farewell he'd just had with the muggles.

 

“We're goin tah miss yah something awful Newt.” Mady wrapped her arms around him in a hug and although it made Newt freeze up a moment he let her take her time, not wanting to be rude by pulling away.

“Ah Mady yer gonna smoother'im.” William said and pulled Newt free of her grasp, then gave him a pat on the head. “He's nearing 16, he's practically a man. He'll be fine.” Newt gave him a small smile before he turned to the eldest.

“Here lad, I know it's nah much but we've been talkin and we decided tha yer going tah need this a lot more than we'll need it.” He handed him a small bag filled with the the extra coins they'd earned the last few weeks.

“Oh I-”

“We're nah takin no fer an answer.” Mady said and plucked the bag from her friend then plopped it down into Newts hand, closing his fingers around it. “Do be safe yah wee rascal.”

Newt nodded his head and pocketed the small bag. “Thank you all.” He said then took up his case and started off towards the ship. That's when it had happened. Spells had started to fly one after another and the three people who had been taking care of him crumbled to the ground without so much as a scream. It was only by instinct to save his creatures that he had run towards the ship instead of running back to them. He glanced back and saw three Wizards and a Witch running towards the him and the ship, yelling something at him. He panicked and threw his hand out wanting to push them away, and they all flew backwards several meters, slamming into the sides of other ships that had been docked. Then Newt ducked onto the ship and disappeared into the shadows.

 

He sniffed and rubbed at his eyes as they watered up. Lucky popped out from his hiding place and brought a hand up to wipe off one of the tears that had escaped from his eye. He could only sniff in response to the kind gesture. It had been a hard thing to leave them behind but he had stayed with them too long, and he had no idea what the Ministry was doing to them to try and get information on where he was going. “We'll be docking in ten minutes, be ready to leave!” the captain yelled and the few passengers that were on board gathered their things and stood to leave. He took up his case and made for the front of the ship. Soon enough he slipped past the people and was wandering the alleys of the port city. As he walked around the city he kept an eye out for the signs of Wizards and Witches. He felt fairly safe interacting with the wizarding community in France. Assuming of course he would be able to understand them. Probably something he needed to do was learn the language to better blend in.

It took a few hours of wandering but he eventually found signs of the community he was looking for and slipped into a pub that the muggles seemed not to realize was there. He found a corner and settled down to watch the others and figure out a plan. He never seemed to plan far enough ahead. His eyes started to droop down, and he found himself having trouble staying awake. The music was just so relaxing, and the atmosphere was heavy and seemed to lull one into a sense of safety... Lucky pinched him and he quickly shook himself awake and took a quick breath in. No, no he couldn't fall asleep. There was no way to keep his creatures safe. He hopped up and walked towards the restroom, glancing around at the posters and artwork on the walls as he did so. He was just about to slip inside the men's section when Lucky tugged at his ear and made him take a step back. “What is it?” He whispered and started to scan the wall. His eyes went wide as he saw a picture of himself on a wanted sign. He glanced around then quickly ripped the page down and crumpled it in his hand. He then disappeared into the loo and threw the paper into his case, clicking it shut before anything could slip out.

How had they gotten his picture out? And so far? He scolded himself mentally it had been months since he'd run off, of course they had started to send his wanted sign out to the nearby countries... He would need to go further away, somewhere they wouldn't think of him going... It made his head hurt and he decided that he needed to get away from the wizarding community first before he started making plans. He had a better grasp on the muggle world at this point and was fairly certain he knew how to find a job... He shook his head and quickly slipped back into the pub. He took a breath and let it out slowly then made his way to the door. He no longer had the advantage of being short that he'd had near a year ago. Though he wasn't considered tall, he still had enough height on him to stand out, especially when it was combined with his case and way he walked. So when he felt a hand on his shoulder he wasn't terribly shocked though he couldn't stop the flinch.

He turned around to glance back at the man who had touched him and was greeted with a sloppy smile. In a slur that only a drunk man could muster he said something to him in what he assumed was French. He ducked his head, casting his eyes to the ground and gave a quick sorry, and tried to pull out of his grasp. “Ah, English?” Newts eyes snapped back up to the man and he gave a quick nod of his head. “Ah good, good. I can not help but notice you are leaving without having a drop to drink or bite to eat.” The man swayed for a moment and quickly shot a hand out and grabbed onto Newts arm to steady himself. “Thank you, and forgive me but you look rather out of place. Here let me buy you a meal to welcome you to France.” Newt wanted nothing more than to run out the door and as far from the man as he could but his stomach gave a growl and answered for him. “Good.” He pulled Newt back to the table he'd been eating at and set Newt down at it before ordering food and a drink for him.

“You look fresh off the boat, oui?” Newt nodded without thinking. “Me too. I just came from visiting family in Devon, England. You would fit right in with your hair.” He quieted down as the food was brought and set down in front of Newt. The young man poked at the food a moment before he slowly started to eat. His stomach hurt from how empty it felt and begged for him to stuff it all in his mouth, but he knew he needed to take it slow. He washed down the first few bites with the drink provided and offered a bite to Lucky who had decided to crawl back out of hiding. He couldn't stop the smile that pulled at his lips as the Bowtruckle eagerly ate what was offered. “Good, oui?” Newt nodded his head. “You know, while I was in England I heard that there was apparently an out of control child on the loose.” The fork fell from his hand, clattering onto the plate and he felt his entire body go cold. “One with magic it could not control.”

“Forgive me I-”

The man grabbed his hand and held him firmly in place. “Hold on mon petit homme. I know there must be more to the story than what was released. I was talking with my extended family in England about how we knew something was not right with... this childs case.” Newt still shook from the sudden realization that this man could turn him in without a second thought, but he had no way to get away without bringing attention to them. “We had hoped one of us would come across him but never did I think I actually would. Imagine my surprise when I saw your face enter this little pub.”

“Please sir-” By that time Lucky had made his way to the mans hand and was viciously stabbing at the other mans hand.

That made him click his tongue and let Newts wrist go. “I do not wish to harm you. If you have a place to go and a plan to live then by all means, leave.” Newt hesitated as Lucky clambered back up his arm. “But if you do not I can help you, at least until Paris.” Newt looked from the mans face to the door back to the man to the food then back to the door. “I know you have no reason to trust me and every reason to doubt me, but I can help you. I know you have trouble with magic? I can help. I doubt you have money? I can help there as well. Please, let me show you wizards are not all corrupt.”

He knew they weren't all that way. There had been Leta, and Dumbledoor. He bit his lower lip then slowly nodded his head and started eating the food again. Lucky chirped at him for a moment and Newt just pushed him back into his pocket. What else was he supposed to do? He was a sixteen year old in a foreign country with no way to talk with others, no money, and no plan. This was the miracle he needed if he was being honest. “Oh I thank you. I promise you will not regret this.” And the man had been right. Newt spent more time with him than just the trip to Paris. He had apparently come from a wealthy family and had the house to prove it. He was currently still unmarried though he was due to be wed in seven months time. Newt decided then that he needed to be gone before said wedding.

During his time there though the man taught him the language of the country so he could better fit in with those around him. He had also ordered for him clothes that had been tailored just for him, they were a little more colorful than Newt would have chosen, but it made him smile looking at the way they all worked together. But the best thing of all was that he taught him how to better control his magic. He taught him spells that he had never heard of, learned history he had never known about, and got to witness firsthand what it was like to live in a house of wizards. The man used magic for practically everything. There were scarves being knitted in the corner, dishes washing themselves in the sink. Food being prepared with a simple wave of the wand. It left him as speechless as it left the other when he saw the way Newt was able to do the spells without a wand or words. He told him next to no one was able to do everything without a wand, though he very carefully didn't ask why he didn't have one. Something Newt was thankful for.

Soon Newt felt comfortable enough with him that he brought his new friend with him into the case and he watched on in wonder as Newt began to apply the new skills he'd learned and started to build the habitats that he had dreamed of building near over a year ago. His small family had grown in size as the months had passed. The Thestral, who he had named Vitae, came up and greeted him with a nuzzle. Judging by the curious look on his friends face he could only assume he couldn't see the majestic beast. He scratched behind its ear then moved on to the new creatures he'd found back on the streets in London. Added to the family was a dog looking creature called a Crup. The main difference between her and other non magical dogs was first and foremost her forked tail. Second she had a great dislike of muggles almost dangerously so. “That's a good girl.” He said as she turned over for a belly rub.

“What is that?” Newt looked over to what was being asked about and smiled. “That's a Moke. Her name's Minimis. You've probably seen one made into a purse or bag before. Found this little one in a trap, that right there-” He pointed to where the rest of her tail should have been. “Couldn't save it sadly. It came down to losing the tail or losing her life. She eventually forgave me.” The silver green lizard flicked her tongue and raised her head for Newt to scratch under her chin. “She's a beautiful little thing isn't she?” He then focused back on his task and slowly a rainforest grew from the ground in one section of the case, then as Newt moved around the enclosed area, it slowly turned into a normal forest that eventually opened onto the field. Once it was all said and done he collapsed on the ground and looked around him quite pleased with his handiwork. “I think that'll do for now. I don't have much in the way of variety of climates right now, but I know a few weren't doing too well with just the field. Like Vitae is already pleased with the addition of the trees. And look Minimis is taking to the rain forest, like a duck to water. She's not originally from there but she is used to quite a bit of rain so that's probably comforting for her." A small breeze came through the case and brought with it one of the wanted signs he'd been pulling down over the months. Newt quickly snatched it up and burnt it till only ashes remained.

The silence that followed was finally broken with a question. “What are you going to do about that?”

Newt stayed silent a moment longer as he ran his tongue across his lips. What was he going to do? One of the Diricawls popped up beside him and pecked at the ground a few times before popping away a few feet and running in a circle. “I can't get caught... they'll kill my creatures if they catch me. I can't let that happen... I'll just have to keep running. Never stay too long in any one place.” He made a face. “At least I'll get the opportunity to travel the world.” He looked over at the other. “And thanks to you I have a better chance at surviving.” His eyes darted back to the creatures in front of them. “Thank you.” He then waved a hand around them, “They thank you as well. If I hadn't been able to get my magic under control... it could have been bad for them.”

His friend smiled and patted him on the shoulder. “You deserve better Newt. I'm just sorry to have to see you go. I had hoped you could stay here longer.”

He gave half smile and shrugged. “Six months is pushing it already. It's not safe for me to stay at any one place.”

“Well I will make sure that you have food for you and your... friends for months to come.” He gave Newts leg a pat then went into the small house they had built and climbed up the ladder back out of the case. Newt grinned and started to follow, when out of the blue the case lid slammed shut and he heard it being locked. “No...” He breathed and started up the ladder. He tried to open the way out but it was locked fast. “No, no no!” He tried again but only managed in slipping down the ladder and tumbling onto the floor. “NO!” He shouted, but knew there was nothing for him to do. As long as the case was locked he wasn't going to be getting out.

 

Hours passed as he waited for the case to be unlocked, and though he tried to distract his mind from what was going on out there he couldn't stop the slight tremor to his hands thinking that even now he could be back on his way to England. Back on his way to being a lab rat. He shuddered and started chopping the food with more vigor. After what seemed like ages he finally heard the click of the case unlocking, and he was up that ladder faster than he could blink. He came out hand raised, ready to send people flying. “Newt wait!” He hesitated and looked around him. It still looked like France... He frowned and turned to the man and waited for an answer. “Forgive me I had no choice. As soon as I stepped out a servant alerted me to English men at the door wanting to talk to me. They entered before I could send them away and so I did the only thing I could think of.”

“Locking me inside?”

“You and your friends. If even one of them had gotten out I knew that would be the end of it. By the way mon petit homme you have quite the collection running after you. Not only was there a Ministry Auror but also a MACUSA Auror. If you're not careful next will be a french one.” He smiled trying to lighten the mood, but Newt only shrugged.

“It doesn't matter how many they send after me, they will only be able to catch me if they find me.” He closed the case and locked it shut. “Though this does only help prove my point. I need to be going. I can not stay here any longer.”

“That reminds me, take this. I filled it with that food I promised, also some coins for the road and a few books I thought you'd enjoy.” He handed over the small sack with a grin. Newt took it with a small smile and quickly set it inside the case. “Where will you go?”

“I think the less you know the safer you'll be.” He extended his hand and the other grasped it with a firm shake. “Thank you for everything.”

 “Please stay safe.” Newt nodded his head then disappeared with a loud pop and a rush of wind, leaving France behind with only the memory of his being there. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I own nothing except the original characters and the expansion of the idea, nor do I claim to own them. 
> 
> This chapter was so hard, I thought I'd never get it written out. I finally got to the point where if I didn't post it I'd never get past it. 
> 
> Thank you all for reading, it always makes my day to see people are reading the story. 
> 
> mon petit homme = my little man  
> Oui = yes


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I own nothing except the expansion on the idea, and original characters. Nor do I claim to own them.

He spent the next few years running from place to place. Always just escaping the grasp of the people hunting him down, always dancing just out of their reach. Eventually the people stopped appearing on his trail, and shortly after he didn't have to look over his shoulder every time he entered a new town. For the first time in his life he was truly free. Free to live as he please, free to go here he wished. He only stayed connected enough to the Wizarding world to keep an ear to the ground for any new manhunts after him, and to keep an ear out for any unusual creature activity. As he traveled the world he gathered more creatures to add to his case, finding a real enjoyment in being able to help them. To save them like he hadn't been able to save himself. He found some that were near extinction, and others who had been caught in traps by poachers and exterminators. And as his family grew so did the inside of his case, everyone needing their own their own space. He had divided the case into new section using backdrops to help give the larger animals something that looked more like home, without confusing the other creatures in the case with drastic changes to their own environments. Newt had expanded the area over the years until he was fairly certain if he expanded again he would destroy the entire thing. He could no longer Apparate long distances for fear of splinching the friends inside his case.

While he learned to live his new life, the auror's eventually had to hang up their coats, having lost his trail shortly after France. It killed Graves to leave the case unanswered, to leave the boy still lost to the world. But they had nothing to go on. Not even straws to grasp at. What ever he had learned in France had been enough to keep him completely off grid. He supposed that was better than the life he had lived so far, though he was reluctant to admit that even to himself. But the more he thought about it, the easier it was to believe. At least the boy was free, and if they couldn't find him then surely he was not around people he could harm... But it still did not sit right with him that out there was a boy who needed help, who needed a guiding hand, who was hurting no doubt, and he could do nothing about it. Especially when he found out the lad had caught the attention of other wizards. Wizards he knew only had ill intentions for him. The one that worried him the most being Grindelwald. The mad man ready to lead the entire world into chaos for his crazy vision. It was because of that wizard that he kept an ear out for any whispers of the Scamander boy, hoping that if he showed back up he would be able to get to him before anyone else did. 

Everything though came to a halt with the arrival of the great war. Everyone that was able to fight was called upon, pleaded with to fight in the war. And Newt was no different. The helper inside of him had not been able to stand idly by and so he had changed his appearance slightly and signed up with the French army under an assumed name. When he signed up he may have lied about his age, but while at war he'd turned the age he was supposed to be in order to fight. He was assigned to the eastern front with the Ukrainian Ironbellies. Though war was all around him and he lost people he knew every day, a part of him was still thrilled that he got to work with such magnificent creatures. He only wished it had been under better circumstances. Those days and nights though would haunt him the rest of his life. Not even the love of the dragons would stop that. It had been a dark time that left his dreams riddled with nightmares that he couldn't seem to be rid of. Nightmares that often involved the great darkness that tried to encompass the lands he had been fighting in. Nightmares where he was the monster making people scream in pain before death took them over. Memories disguised as nightmares. He always had trouble keeping everything under control, and the chaos of war, the emotional turmoil he faced every day only helped break down his control. The atrocities he had committed- even though all he had wanted to do was save the men and women he fought alongside, it did not make alright what he had done. Those screams, the screams of people knowing they were about to die, would follow him the rest of his life.

The war couldn't come to a close soon enough, and though he was sad to leave the magnificent beasts he had come to love he knew it was for the best, as question would start to arise about the blackness everyone had seen throughout the war. So as soon as the war was over he disappeared from the wizarding world once again, going to even more remote places to search for creatures to help. Though it was harder t his time, as he had tasted what it was like to have companionship again. To be able to depend on someone other than yourself, to have someone care about your well being. But he'd just remind himself that if they knew what he was, they would have turned him into the MiM or MACUSA. Creatures- creatures were the only thing that mattered in life. That was his only job in life. To save and rescue what creatures he could from his fellow Wizards and Witches. He just couldn't understand why they feared and hated them so much. Sure there had been a few that were a bit rough around the edges but with a bit of love and care most were wonderful beings. Though if he ever wanted to convince people of that he should probably never take his shirt off in front of them. His body was littered with scars. From his hands to his to his legs he had every type of scar imaginable. It wasn't the creatures fault though, the poor babes had simply been frightened, or hurt, or had been mistreated. They had only lashed out in self defense. He could never blame them for what they inflicted on him when he first brought them home.

With the constant flow of creatures though came their passing on into the next life. He'd saved a few that were simply already extremely old for their kind, and then some had been to wounded to save and all he could do was make their passing easier. But none of them had effected him like the next death did. Lucky, who had already been an old bowtruckle, and who had been with him through thick and thin since the institution, finally passed on. It had been a dark time for Newt- the weeks that followed he could hardly remember. He didn't leave the case at all and focused entirely on the well being of his creatures- pushing his own needs to one side. He used magic in some form to try and take care of anything with his body when it hindered him from working, and that was probably what pushed him over the edge. After those weeks in the case he became very ill, a sickness that had him unable to think properly, that had him losing control over himself. He tried to convince himself that everything was fine, that he was able to take care of himself. That he didn't need to go anywhere. And his mind wasn't changed until he woke up in the middle of a crater that had once been a field. That to him was finally a big enough sign that he needed to see a doctor. A magical doctor. 

He fidgeted as he stood in line, his grasp on his case so tight his knuckles were white. His head was pounding and he was fairly certain his vision was blurring. His body felt weak and that any moment he would topple over. Outside the Egyptian sun beat down on the sands that hid this magical hospital from muggles. As the years had gone by he'd somewhat grown into his lanky body, though he still hunched over in an attempt to appear smaller than he was. He stepped up to the counter, swaying a little as the woman called next. “Hello, my name's Joyce and will be your nurse today. Please tell me do you have-” She looked up and frowned at his complexion, his skin having taken a gray undertone to it. “Sir?” She said.

“Newton-” He mumbled. “Age twenty... twenty-nine.” He swayed again as he felt the world pull away from under him. “Blood... blood...” He hit the floor with a thump. He heard yelling over him and it only made him curl in on himself more as he tried to block out the sound. He felt himself being levitated and moved. He tightened his hold on his case when he felt someone try to take it. “No, no not my case.”

“I promise it'll be right with you-” A gentle voice said. “But we can't work around it.” He didn't have the strength to protest and soon enough they had him under a sleeping spell and he was dead to the world.

The problem with being on the run from the law was that you never were not on the run. One could take every precaution known to wizards and still it not be enough. They had tried to identify the young unconscious man in their hospital in order to try and contact any family he had. But when they looked him up an alert flashed across the screen and in a moment a note was sent to alert the MiM, MACUSA, and local authorities that Newt Scamander was there. So when Graves got an owl that the boy had been found, he had been blindsided. It had been... years since France, and now here he was in a hospital in Egypt? He had ordered an international portkey and was there in a matter of hours. He was going to bring him in, bring him to a place that would make sure he was taken care of and treated like a human being and not some project to be poked and prodded. 

Newt opened his eyes with a groan and curled into himself on his side. He could hear soft beeps and whirs around him and it was oddly... soothing. Maybe because those sounds had always been a positive thing back at the Institution. Those sounds had always meant no more testing, in fact normally no more testing for a while. He sighed contentedly and nuzzled into the blankets on the bed and gave a soft hum at the warmth he felt. It wasn't as cozy as the nest like construction he called a bed in his case but it smelled clean and- his eyes popped back open at the thought of his case and he sat bolt upright. He scanned the room around him, and as his heart raced the beeps increased in volume. Soon a nurse stepped in. “Mr. Scamander? I need you to calm down-”

“Where's my case!” He said as he threw the covers back, it not yet clicking she'd used his last name.

“Hey, hey I need you to get back into your bed sir.”

He wasn't listening and stood up from the bed, becoming frantic. “No I need my case!” He could feel his skin crawling as he started to freak out. Had they taken it from him? Had they realized what was inside? Condemning everything to death?

She quickly pulled the case from under the bed and held it to him. “Scamander- Newton!” He paused and looked to her. “It's right here.” She said slowly. “The case is right here. See?” He reached his hands out and took it from her hold and clutched it to his chest, everything calming down in a moment. “There we go- now please, back on the bed? You were seriously ill.” As in had he come even a day later he would have died. They hadn't seen a case like it before. It was as if he'd been something had been sucking his life force away. He nodded his head and got back onto the bed though he kept the case right at his side.

Then it hit him. “I'm sorry- what did you call me?”

“Scamander? That's your name right?”

His heart fell to the floor and his blood ran cold but he gave a weak smile and nodded his head. “Just- just thought you'd said it wrong.” He said as he looked anywhere but her eyes.

She gave an understanding smile. “Well I'm glad I got it right. If you need anything I'll be right outside.” He nodded his head and waited until he heard her leave and then started to weave spells to keep the machines happy. So they'd continue beeping while he escaped. No one knew his name. He never gave it out- which meant they'd looked him up and he knew that was bad. It was a miracle he hadn't been taken in yet.

He slipped into the case a moment to change into his own clothes not wanting to use the ones he'd come in with, positive they'd have tracking spells on them. In fact- he checked his case but his own magic had held up and no new spells had been able to be placed on top of them. He smiled and stepped back out and locked the case up. He walked to the door and opened it a crack. He waited a moment and slipped out when a group passed by. He kept his head down and focused on breathing normally.

“I'm here for the Scamander boy?” He couldn't stop himself as he heard his name and looked over. A well dressed tall man, with dark hair with gray swished in was standing at the counter. He glanced around and caught Newts eyes and for that split second he couldn't breath. For that moment he felt a sense of recognition. He'd... he'd seen this man before. He knew him. The other man though had a similar experience and his eyes widened in recognition. “Newton?” He breathed and that was all it took to shake him from the trance. Newt bolted in front of the people and raced down the hall. He heard the man yell after him but he didn't dare stop. He had to be with some ministry or other, MACUSA if memory served him. Though that didn't really matter as all magical law enforcement personnel were bad in his book. Law enforcement were the only types of people who came looking for him. All that man wanted to do was to take him back, back to that place. Or worse to punish him for what he had done there.

He shoved people every which way, throwing apologies as he did so. A spell went flying past him and he cursed. Never had never wished more than now that he could apparate. He flung his hand backwards and sent his pursuers flying. Graves though was not one to give up so easily. “Newton!” He couldn't lose him now, not when he was so close to helping him. “Please stop!” But the boy wasn't listening. He dodged every spell that was thrown at him, almost like he could feel the spells coming at him. Which... he supposed he did in a way. Scamander threw open one of the doors that lead to a different part of the city and rushed outside. “No!” Graves pushed past the last few people and burst out onto the street, looking every which way for him. “Newton!” He yelled again. He thought about using magic, but no'mags were all around them. He cursed and scanned the area. Mind quickly thinking of a way to get a city wide alert out as quickly as possible. He was in Egypt, and he knew if they acted quickly they would be able to find him and finally bring him to some sort of safety. He turned around to run back inside and put the city on high alert, when a voice that sent a shiver down his spine hummed next to him. “Now- what is a MACUSA agent doing here... so- far- from- home?” He turned his head, eyes widening in horror before his entire world went black.

 


End file.
